Is there anything better than a well-fitted, tailored suit to create a great first impression? We don’t think so.
Whether you’re prepping for that all-important dream job interview or you’ve been asked to be one of the groomsmen at your best friend’s wedding, a well-tailored suit is guaranteed to make you feel smart, confident, and ready for the occasion. But how should a suit fit? And what should you keep an eye out for when suit shopping?
In this guide, we delve into how to make sure you’re buying the best-fitting suit for your measurements, so you’ll be armed with all the knowledge you need next time you’re out suit shopping.
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How Should a Suit Fit?
When looking for a suit with a good fit, make sure you try it on while in a ‘natural stance’!
While it might feel unusual to stand upright with your hands down by your side when looking in a mirror, this is actually the best way to work out if a suit is a good fit for you. If it doesn’t look quite right when you’re in this stance, it’s unlikely to fit you well when you’re moving around or sitting down.
But how should a suit fit, and what makes a good fit in the first place? As a starting point:
- Look out for shoulders that lie flat,
- A sleeve length that is around half an inch shorter than the cuff of your shirt,
- A pant length that lightly touches the top of your shoe.
Signs of a Poorly-Fitting Suit
There are also a few warning signs to watch out for to avoid choosing a bad-fitting suit.
If you notice a bunching of material either on the top of your shoulders or on your upper arms, then the suit is definitely too big.
Equally, if you notice twisted wrinkles on the outside of your suit jacket, this means the sleeves were made at a different angle to your natural arm angle, and that’s certainly not what you want!
But that’s just the beginning. There’s plenty more to think about when shopping for that perfect suit, so let’s dive a bit deeper into how a suit should fit.
How Should a Suit Jacket Fit?
When it comes to the suit jacket, it’s worth paying particular attention to the shoulders, sleeves, overall jacket length, and where the buttons fall.
Here are some of our top tips for the most important things to keep in mind when trying on suit jackets.
How Long Should a Suit Jacket Be?
While often overlooked, the length of a suit jacket actually plays a really important part in a well-tailored suit.
A good-fitting suit jacket should come down just below your waist, covering the top of your bottom. If it falls any lower than this, it’s too long!
This also means that the hem of the jacket should ideally fall to the middle of your palms when you’re standing in the natural stance we mentioned earlier.
How Should Suit Sleeves Fit?
When it comes to sleeve length, you might have heard the guideline “a half-inch of linen”.
This basically means that your suit sleeves should be around half an inch shorter than the shirt underneath, leaving just a small amount of the shirt cuff on show.
You don’t need to get too caught up in measuring exactly half an inch, though. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your suit jacket sleeves aren’t so long that they hide the shirt entirely, and not so short that they show the entire shirt cuff. Somewhere in the middle is just perfect!
How Should a Suit Jacket Fit the Shoulders?
There are a couple of ways to check that you’ve got the perfect suit fit for your shoulders.
A suit jacket is too big for you if the material noticeably bunches on the top of your shoulders. Ideally, the top of your suit should lie flat on your shoulders with no excess material.
You may also need a smaller size if you notice that the material on your upper arms is dipping inwards just below the shoulder, and then widening out again.
When it comes to finding a well-fitted suit, the shoulders might not be the first thing on your mind. But in actual fact, they’re one of the hardest parts of the suit to adjust after purchasing, so they must fit you properly before you buy.
How Should a Suit Fit the Back?
Finding a suit jacket that fits you perfectly both on the front and the back can sometimes feel like a bit of a mission. But when you know what to look out for, it doesn’t have to be.
A good place to start is checking how the jacket looks when buttoned up. Ideally, the two sides of the jacket should meet neatly in the middle, without any obvious strain. It’s also a good idea to check that the sides don’t hang forward off your body when buttoned up, but instead lie comfortably against your chest.
The back of your jacket should also have a snug but comfortable fit. Any excess material means the suit is too large for you, and any obvious stretching means it’s best to size up.
How Should Suit Pants Fit?
So, we’ve got the jacket covered. But how should suit pants fit?
Waist
The waist of your pants should sit around the upper hip. Well-fitted pants should sit comfortably without a belt to hold them up.
Similarly, if you need to breathe in to fasten the button of your pants, it’s probably worth going up a size.
Rise
The rise is the length of the fabric that travels from the front hem to the back hem of your pants. A well-fitted rise will allow your trousers to sit comfortably without creating a wedgie effect or leaving too much extra material in the crotch area.
Legs
When it comes to the legs of your pants, check how they sit against your legs when you’re standing. You’ll want some space between the suit material and your thighs, as this will make them comfortable for both sitting down and standing up.
Crotch
Good-fitting pants will fall streamline over your crotch area. Make sure your suit pants aren’t too loose nor too tight around the crotch, as this is the best way to ensure they’re comfortable to wear for all-day events.
Seat
The seat area around your derrière should be lightly hugging, without being too tight or saggy.
Hem
The hems of your pants should ideally hit the top of your shoe. This will give the trousers a slight ‘break’, which is a gentle crease created by the hem falling on the shoe.
How Should a Suit Vest Fit?
A traditional three-piece suit is the ultimate elegant attire. But to give off all the right first impressions, your suit vest must be properly tailored to your body measurements.
Length
For the best-fitting suit vest, make sure the length is long enough to cover your waist. The key is making sure that your shirt is fully covered and not visible between the bottom of your vest and the waistband of your pants.
Shoulders
In the same way as a suit jacket, the shoulders of your vest should lie completely flat.
Neck
A suit vest with a well-fitted neck will sit comfortably against the collar of your shirt. Keep an eye out for vests that pull away from your shirt collar or cause it to bunch up. These are both signs of a vest that isn’t well-fitted.
Arms
Make sure that the arms of your vest sit comfortably against your shirt. The arm holes also need to be high enough to give you a full range of arm movement when you’re wearing it.
Front
Ideally, the front side of your vest will lie flat against your chest. Signs of a poorly fitting vest front include material hanging loosely or signs of pulling.
Back
Most suit vests will have an adjustable strap on the back, which is great for adjusting the fit quickly and easily. As long as the material sits smoothly against your back, you’re good to go!
Next time you go suit shopping, keep all the above advice in mind to find the perfect fit. Or, why not skip the guess work and order a custom-made suit?
Get a Tailored Suit For the Perfect Fit
Looking for a custom-made suit that’ll fit you like a glove? Our tweed suits are created using your exact measurements, so you can be sure you’ll always get the perfect fit. Shop our suits today.
